As part of the
idea of “being of one mind” and “having compassion
one of another”, Peter the
apostle told the “scattered”
Christians not to “render evil for evil”
nor “railing for railing”
“but contrariwise blessing”
because this is the behavior to which they were “called”.
In the third chapter and tenth verse of his letter, Peter told them
to “refrain” their
“tongue from evil” and their
“lips from guile”
where we read:
For he
that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue
from evil,
and his
lips that they speak no guile:
The
verse begins, “For he that will love life, and see good
days, let him refrain his tongue from evil,...” Peter
began with the word, “For”
which means “even, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, therefore and
verily” “he that will” or
“desires, wishes, has in mind, intends” “love”
which is the Greek word “agapeo” which means “to be well
pleased, contented unconditionallly at or with a thing” “life”
or “the state of one
who is possessed of vitality or is animate”
“and see” or
“behold, perceive with the eyes or senses, notice, discern and
discover” “good” or
“pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished,
upright and honorable” “days”
“used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and
sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night”, “let
him” which refers to “people
who love life and see good days”
“refrain” which
means “cease, desist, restrain a thing or person from something or
release” “his tongue”
or “member of the body, an organ of speech and language or dialect
used by a particular people distinct from that of other nations”
“from evil” or
“away from bad nature, not such as it ought to be, wrong, wicked,
troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive and baneful”.
Peter's charge was for those who “love life”
and desire to “see good days”
to keep their “tongues” from pernicious and destructive words.
The
verse goes on to say, “...and his lips that they speak no
guile:” Peter added, “and his lips” which refers to
“the lips of the speaking mouth” “that they speak” or
“utter a voice, emit a sound, use the tongue or faculty of speech,
articulate sounds, talk and tell” “no guile” which means
“no deceit, subtlety, trick, wile, bait, decoy or craft”. In
addition to “refraining” their “tongues from evil”,
Christians who love life and desire to see good days keep their lips
from “subtlety, trickery or deceit”
As
we consider Peter's words, we should understand the importance of our
speech. As Christians, we are not to speak in “evil” ways,
and we are to keep ourselves from “subtlety and deceit”. In other
words, because we are believers in Jesus Christ and follow His ways,
we should guard our tongues and keep from sharing crafty and
deceitful things. May the Lord help us know how to keep our lips and
tongues, and enjoy the “love of life” and “seeing of good
days” He desires for us.
Next
time Peter tells the Christians to “eschew evil and do
good”, so read ahead, and we
shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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